MANCHESTER — It may be in its infancy, but the NHIAA Unified Soccer program is taking off in the right way.

The sport's second state championship was held Saturday at Southern New Hampshire University, and first-year Gilford edged defending champion Spaulding for the title, 3-2.

The NHIAA works in concert with Special Olympics New Hampshire to make this sport a reality.

Eugene Carroll scored both goals for Spaulding, which beat Londonderry in the semifinals last Wednesday, 4-2. Carlos Garcia scored twice for the Golden Eagles (7-0), who advanced to the final with a 4-0 win over Oyster River. Gilford's final record was 7-0, while Spaulding was 5-3.

Jason Ball scored the game-winner for Gilford with nine seconds left in the third quarter.

“For me, that's the coolest part about it,” said Spaulding coach Dan Curran. “Winning is the same feeling as anybody else winning. Losing is the same thing. It's legit sport competition and the winner gets the glory and the loser goes home, just like anybody else.”

The unified soccer game is played on a full soccer field, although smaller goals are placed at each 18. There are seven players to a side — six field players and a goalie. Each team may play as many as three unified partners during a game at the same time. Games have four 12-minute quarters.

Spaulding only had two unified partner available Saturday as the rest were taking SATs or playing in an AAU tournament.

Carroll had a handful of chances to knot up the score in the fourth quarter. His shot with 25 seconds went just wide and the Gilford team celebrated moments later when time ran out.

“We saw it as a great chance for kids to play in this environment, who don't normally play in this environment,” said Gilford coach Tom Carr. “It's a chance to represent their school. It gives kids a chance who don't necessarily have a lot of friends. You get automatic friends by having teammates. And we had team feeds because they don't normally go to them. That's what it was all about. It's getting kids who don't get a lot of things that happen naturally in high school. It builds it in.”

As is the case with all other NHIAA sports, there was an award ceremony following the game at midfield. Each team was presented with a New Hampshire-shaped plaque and individual medals befitting their championship or runners-up finish.

“There was excitement,” said Carroll about his two goals. “Everybody was excited. It felt good.”

It almost felt better when Carroll had his shot at tying the game, but it was not to be.

“We were hoping,” he said. “Everybody did their best. It's all about fun.”

Although the Red Raiders won last year, Carroll said this year's team was more competitive.

“This team was really good,” he said. “We worked hard and did our best. It didn't work out, but they deserve a championship, too.”

Garcia gave Gilford a 1-0 lead at 3:55 of the first quarter.

Carroll struck for the Red Raiders 16 seconds into the second frame from right in front to knot the score at 1-all.

Garcia's second goal, a shot from the left into the right corner, reclaimed the lead for the Golden Eagles 1:39 before the intermission.

Carroll's second goal came at 3:56 of the third quarter off a feed from Matt Pratt. His shot went off Gilford goalie Jacob Jewell and in for the equalizer.

Ball's game-winner came as the last seconds ticked off in the third quarter, a goal off a rebound from a Gilford teammate's shot.

“The kids were thrilled,” Gilford's Carr said. “They were stressed out. That clock couldn't run fast enough in the end for them.”

Win or lose it seemed to be a good time for all, taken in the proper stride.

“I try to cheer them up whenever someone's down,” said Spaulding unified partner Dominic Paradis, an all-state basketball player, who was playing the sport for the first time this season.

“They're amazing kids and just being with them is so beneficial to me,” Paradis added. “We came in to today pretty pumped up. We were ready to go, but it just didn't happen.”

While the game itself might not be as competitively played as other NHIAA events, one can tell that the athletes enjoy the competition and the chance to win. There were post cards in emotion after the game: the Gilford team celebrating its win, while several Red Raiders' lowered their heads briefly in despair.

“The athletes go to a lot of sporting events at Spaulding,” said Spaulding coach Dan Curran. “They see the attention high school athletes get. Coming to a facility like this when it's intertwined with the high school championships. It's the real deal for those guys.”

Saturday's championship was played after the Division III girls final, which went into overtime and was won by Hopkinton, 1-0, over Bow. Newmarket and Littleton played the D-IV girls final right after the unified game.

“I'm just really impressed with the way the NHIAA handles it like any other championship game,” Curran added. “Everything is the same. It's giving those guys the opportunity that every other high school athlete gets. These guys get it now, too.”

The Red Raiders were well aware they were playing for a repeat title and Curran said it was something that came up often as the championship approached.

“What's really neat is that a lot of the athletes on the team played last year,” Curran added. “Like any other team,. they get to defend their championship. That's what these guys were saying. ... They get it, they know it, they realize it. Even a couple of the guys were like if we win today that's a dynasty. That's a repeat, we should get shirts that say back-to-back.”

It didn't happen, but in some ways the Red Raiders still won because Gilford was very happy to be there playing Spaulding.

“Spaulding has some very nice athletes,” Gilford's Carr added. “We were very happy that it was going to be them (in the final). They are very nice kids and nice coaches. It was nice to be here against them.”